Narrative features are films that are longer than 50 minutes and may be from any genre. While the category is named 'narrative' we are looking for original voices with unique material.

We accept television pilots in this category as well, for instance, if you have a two-hour pilot for an hour long drama, this would be the right category for that material. If it were just the hour long drama, that would likely be placed in the "narrative shorts" category.

Animated shorts are films that are shorter than 50 minutes, may be from any genre and feature any type of frame by frame animation.

In addition to the reasons in the category rules, we created the animated shorts category to draw a bright distinction between the craft of "traditional" filmmaking and the craft of animation. While there is a lot of crossover, we want to recognize the unique challenges in each medium.

*Please note that the screener's notes are unedited and the fees are non-refundable. See the general rules or the FAQ for more info.

Documentary Features may be on any topic, with a running time longer than 50 minutes.

Here at SaMo Indie, we love documentaries! Intrigue us, shed light on something new, interesting or exciting and we will give it a fair shake. We've programmed documentaries on square dancing helicopters (yes, you read that right!) cab drivers, art traveling through Brazil, ballet companies, urban outreach through birds of prey and honored dozens more covering all manner of topics.

From the zany to the outlandish, the touching to the topics that are important to us all, SaMo Indie strives to find and curate unique docs that entertain, inform and help make the world a better place. Give us your unique point of view and we'll watch your documentary with an open mind.

Documentary Shorts may be on any topic, with a running time less than 50 minutes.

Here at SaMo Indie, we love documentaries! Intrigue us, shed light on something new, interesting or exciting and we will give it a fair shake. We've programmed documentaries on square dancing helicopters (yes, you read that right!) cab drivers, art traveling through Brazil, ballet companies, urban outreach through birds of prey and honored dozens more covering all manner of topics.

From the zany to the outlandish, the touching to the topics that are important to us all, SaMo Indie strives to find and curate unique docs that entertain, inform and help make the world a better place. Give us your unique point of view and we'll watch your documentary with an open mind.

MISSION & OBJECTIVE
SaMo Indie is dedicated to providing truly independent filmmakers with a robust, filmmaker friendly venue to showcase their work in the heart of the entertainment industry.

As such, SaMo Indie is different! We pledge that our program is curated entirely from blind filmmaker submissions, at least three real people actually watch every single submission in its entirety and our Honorable Mentions category is unsurpassed on the festival circuit.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
SaMo Indie is easily one of the most filmmaker friendly independent film festivals in a major entertainment city. Home to one of the largest film markets in the world, Santa Monica is located on the west side of Los Angeles and is home to thousands of entertainment professionals.

We honor films in competition with recognition as Official Selections and we award trophies for Best Narrative Feature, Best Narrative Short, Best Animated Short, Best Feature Documentary, Best Short Documentary and Best Foreign Film. Plus, all winning films also receive a DCI compliant Digital Cinema Package of their film that they can use for exhibition and distribution.

In addition to our regular categories, up to 100 Honorable Mentions will be featured in the festival. Honorable Mentions will receive laurel wreaths to use in their promotional materials and each film will have a short segment from their film screened during the festival, with the film title and credit for the filmmakers. We take these honorable mentions very seriously and MOST SUBMISSIONS will NOT qualify.

Rest assured though, if your film DOES receive an honorable mention, it actually means something!.

With a combined 40 years of experience working in the film industry, the founders of SaMo Indie know from first hand experience the difficulty in getting recognition in such a competitive field. As such, SaMo Indie is different from the other major film festivals. Our program is exclusively curated from actual submissions, we really watch every single submission at least two times and we easily offer some of the broadest number of legitimate slots to recognize truly remarkable indie cinema.

More opportunities, real industry access, the prestige of screening in a major film market, SaMo Indie has it all. Submit now!

GENERAL RULES
**WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING PHYSICAL MEDIA FOR SCREENING MATERIAL**

Due to the waste of materials and resources involved in accepting DVD's and drives, we will no longer accept any physical media for screening or consideration.

ONLINE SCREENERS ONLY PLEASE - NO EXCEPTIONS!

Guidelines:.
• We ONLY ACCEPT ONLINE DIGITAL SCREENERS via Withoutabox, Film Freeway, Vimeo or YouTube
• Please note that the ONLY difference in submission deadlines is the FEE. The submission and selection process is NOT affected by the submission date, provided it is received by the FINAL deadline.
• Regardless, PLEASE submit your work as early as possible to give us the best possible chance to consider your film.
• Please note, our film submissions for the 2015 season are limited to films that were completed after JANUARY 1, 2014.

Selection:
• SaMo Indie 2015 films will be selected by the festival programmers. All selections will be posted on our site by the end of August 2015.
• ALL films submitted to the festival are seen and scored by TWO different programmers and are given a numeric rank. Based on the number of selections, input from the programmers and the average of the assigned numeric rankings will determine which films go on to final deliberations.
• NO films are given preferential treatment under any circumstances. Films are democratically selected by majority vote and NO decisions are made until all films received have been properly screened and been given an opportunity for selection.
• Film Submissions are non-returnable, please don't send anything you need to keep!
• If a film is accepted, entrants will be solely responsible for delivering their exhibition materials to and from the festival venue. Complete press kits will be needed as soon after notification as possible. SaMo Indie are not liable for your exhibition print/video materials which are lost or damaged.
• Please note festival dates are subject to change.
• SaMo Indie does not provide travel or accommodations for selected filmmakers. If selected, such necessities will be the sole responsibility of the filmmaker.

For More Information:
Most questions can be answered at www.SaMoIndie.com on our FAQ. Your Withoutabox account can be utilized to see if your film has been received. You can try and contact us directly, but we will be actively avoiding that! Trust us, you would too...

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Entrants warrant that they have the legal right to enter film work to SaMo Indie 2015.
As the Director/Producer of the Film, entrants have submitted to the Festival, entrants represent and warrant to the Festival that the Film and all parts thereof are original; that the Film does not contravene the rights of any person or entity and that entrants own or control the Film and all parts thereof and have the sole authority to submit the Film to the Festival; the Film entrants submitted to the Festival is not subject to nor threatened by any litigation.
Entrants acknowledge that no fiduciary or confidential relationship now exists between the Festival and entrants, and entrants further acknowledge that no such relationship is established by these guidelines, my submission of the Film, or by the Festival’s acceptance, review or retention of the Film.
If a film is accepted, entrants will be solely responsible for delivering their exhibition video materials to and from the festival venue.
Complete press kits will be needed as soon after notification as possible.
SaMo Indie cannot be held liable for your exhibition print/video materials which are lost or damaged.
If your film wins any award, including an "Honorable Mention", you and/or your distributor are required to mention that fact in posters and other promotional material if and when the film gets distribution. Festival dates are subject to change.